The Consecration of the XIV Bishop of Maryland - June 28, 2008

The Consecration of the Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton took place on Saturday, June 28, at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. More than 3,000 people, including 30 bishops from throughout the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, attended. This festive occasion featured a combined choir of nearly 300 voices and a grand procession of more than 100 banners, representing churches and organizations from across the diocese.

You may read more at http://www.ang-md.org/ .

Fund Raising Update

The Outreach Committee’s Yard Sale provided enough funds to send $2000 to the Lighthouse Shelter in Annapolis.

The African Team Ministries Sale raised $1800. Thank everyone for their generosity.

The United Thank Offering (UTO) proceeds totaled $429.25.

Youth Groups' Crop Walk earned more than $220.

Raymond George Kostanecki Scholarship Awarded to Cody L. Buffaloe

Cody L. Buffaloe is the recipient of the $2000 Raymond George Kostanecki Scholarship for 2008. In the fall she will be attending St. Mary’s College.

Highlights of May 2008 Vestry Meeting

1. Confirmation went very smoothly.

2. Consecration of Bishop-Elect Eugene Sutton will be June 28 at the National Cathedral.

3. Thank you to all who have worked so hard getting the Assistant Rector’s home renovated.

4. As of April 30, 2008 we are $21,632.73 in the black.

5. Checking account operating balance is $32,697.82.

6. The inventory of St. Mark’s and St. James’is near completion. Still working on the balance sheet.

7. Exterior entrance to the Rector’s home is nearly complete.

8. Buildings and Grounds met with Realistic Builders in Annapolis about fixing the cornices in the Church.

9. Getting quotes from heating companies to replace baseboard heating in the parish hall.

10. Outreach Committee sponsored a Yard Sale and cleared $2000.

11. Parish Life Committee is having a church picnic on June 1st

12. The Editor of the “Shell” wants to retire and we need a new Editor.

13. Both of the choirs will sing at the Thanksgiving Day service.

14. The Spring Dinner went very well and the Women cleared almost $7000.

Vestry Meets on June 16, 2008

The Vestry will meet on June 16, 2008 evening at 7:30 PM in the Library.

Sunday Brunch on June 15, 2008

Come for Brunch! TODAY is the first Sunday of our summer schedule. It’s also Father’s Day! The Women of St. James’ Parish invite you to a complimentary Sunday Brunch in the Parish Hall immediately following the 10:00 service. Please come …. and bring Dad!

July/August Shell Information Due June 15, 2008

Shell” Information, needs to be sent to Claire Pickart at cpickart@verzon.net by June 15, 2008.

PLEASE NOTE: The next “Shell” will be for the months of July/August.

New Acolyte and Refresher Training - August 11-12, 2008

New Acolyte and refresher training will be held at St. James' Parish Hall on Monday and Tuesday August 11 and 12, 2008 from 9 am to noon.

All currently serving acolytes and those wishing to join the acolyte team are strongly encouraged to attend.

Rising first graders are welcome to be trained to carry the Gospel book or the church school banner.

Youth may join at any time through their senior year in high school. Most acolytes find this a wonderful ministry and a great way to serve their church. Parents must recognize that when their child is scheduled to serve, it is the parents' duty to see that the child is at church ready to participate at the appointed hour.

Contact: JoEllen Kelly at amst85@comcast.net

Disasters in Burma and China

Want to learn how to help out with the recent terrible disasters in Burma and China? The Anglican Communion is just about everywhere in the world, and that means that we have sisters and brothers already on the ground in these stricken areas, whose work we are supporting right now.

Over the past weeks, we have been privileged, through Episcopal Relief and Development’s partnering with churches there, to embody God’s love for people in Burma and in China whose lives have been shattered. What is God doing about it? We ourselves are the answer to that one. To make a donation, visit www.er-d.org or telephone 1-800-334-7626.

Vacation Bible School - July 7-11

We are asking each family to donate $ 5.00 and a white tee shirt for each child attending. The tee shirt will be returned to the child with a logo on it to be worn during Vacation Bible School. The registration and health forms are found outside of each Atrium or online in the complete announcement above.

Contact Sharon McGlaughlin at 301-261-9441 or Sharon Angel at 410-798-0037 for additional information.

Maryland Episcopal Cursillo Weekend #96

Maryland Episcopal Cursillo Weekend #96 - Nancy Horkan is the Rector for MD #96 that will take place in November. Information brochures are available in the rack opposite the Parish Office and information may be found at http://www.cursillo.ang-md.org/.

Feed A Family For Life

Do you have old athletic shoes just sitting in your closet? Would you like to help Ghanaian Mothers’ Hope provide training in sustainable agriculture and farming to the village of Akramaman in Ghana, West Africa? With every 600 pairs of adult “used but not abused” athletic shoes, Perpetual Prosperity Pumps, a nonprofit organization in Delaware, will provide agricultural training for one of our families in Akramaman village. This is the village where Ghanaian Mothers’ Hope has just built a pre-school and playground and broken ground for a new health clinic. Twelve thousand pairs of used shoes will train 20 families and also provide a mini-farm at our school. There is a box in the foyer between the two buildings to collect the shoes, or contact Marjie Mack at 410-956-4351 or mmack3108@comcast.net for pick up or more information.

Family Fellowship Night on June 20

The Family Fellowship Night will take place again on June 20 in the Parish Hall. Call Laura Miller 410-798-1826 for more information or to let her know that you will be attending as they need to know to have enough food.

Women’s Monthly Breakfast on June 14 at 8:30

The Women’s Monthly Breakfast will meet again on June 14 at 8:30. Bring something to do (or not) and join us. Any contribution to breakfast is welcome, but not necessary. Store-bought is encouraged. Contact: Linda Stewart – 443-203-6774.

Lighthouse Shelter Help Needed on 3rd Thursdays

The Women of St. James’ Parish are preparing bag lunches for the Lighthouse Shelter on the third Wednesday of each month. They will be doing this again on June 18. Please call Pat Rehling 410-867-4709 if you can help. The Women of St. James’ Parish cover the cost of these meals. Please sign up for desserts for the Lighthouse lunches on the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board outside the Rector’s office.

St. James’ Women’s Book Club

The St. James’ Women’s Book Club is meeting on the 3rd Tuesday in each month at 8 p.m. at Brooke Steuart’s house (301-980-3920). Everyone is invited to come to the Book Club.

Parish Life Committee Members Needed for Newcomers’ Program

At the Vestry Retreat, held on February 16, the Vestry defined the top three priorities for the next year. One of those was to “expand and enrich our Newcomers’ Program” to support development of on-going programs and to welcome and retain new members. People are needed to help define and formalize a framework of measurable goals and objectives, gather information, and to develop a plan to present to the Vestry. It would be especially helpful if recent newcomers would share with us why they chose St. James’ and why they have stayed with us. If you feel called to help with this ministry, please contact Linda Stewart by email at lstewart54@aol.com or phone 443-203-6774.

Sunday School Restarts September 7, 2008

June 7th was our last Sunday of Church School for the summer. Next Sunday, June 15, we will begin our summer schedule with the 8 AM service at St. Mark’s Chapel and the 10 AM service at St. James’ Church.

If you are interested in being on the Christian Formation Committee, Christian Formation Strategic Planning Team, or involved in anyway with these programs, please contact Steve Dorsey at 410-867-3679.

Camp Amazing Grace Needs Sleeping Bags For The Children

Camp Amazing Grace needs sleeping bags for the children. We are collecting now and asking for any donations for the sleeping bags. This camp will stand out in these children’s lives as a very positive motivation to succeed. Thank you for your donation. Please put a note on your checks that it is to go to the camp for sleeping bags. God bless all of you for helping.

Middle School Teachers Needed for 2008-2009 School Year & Beyond

The Christian Formation Committee is looking for two volunteers (male and female) who are interested in teaching Sunday school next year. If you think you are interested in this rewarding experience, and would like more information, please contact Steve Dorsey at 410-867-3679.

Summer Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed!

Next Sunday we go to our 10:00 AM Sunday service, and our casual summer coffee hour “Lemonade on the Lawn.”

We are in need of volunteers to provide a simple coffee hour starting June 22nd. There will be a signup sheet in the Parish Hall on the bulletin board. We have had a wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers providing a delicious coffee hour since September, and they are taking a break for the summer.

Please consider volunteering, as we have all “grown” accustomed to our Sunday goodies. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Stewart, 443-203-6774, or email to lstewart54@aol.com.

Parish Picnic

On behalf of the Parish we extend a big thank you to Linda Stewart and all of the volunteers who helped her prepare the wonderful picnic last Sunday.

A special thank you to Steve Dorsey and Jerry McGlaughlin for enduring the heat of the day as well as the grills that they manned to provide the hamburgers and hot dogs.